In this review, we will be comparing SCM50ASL and Klipschorn 80th, two Floor-standing speakers from ATC and Klipsch. The main difference between these two speakers is that the ATC SCM50ASL is a Powered speaker which means that it has a built-in amplifier inside the speaker body so you don't need an external power amp or an integrated amp whereas the Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary is a Passive speaker so has to be matched with an amplifier to get any sound from it.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of ATC SCM50ASL and Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | ATC SCM50ASL | Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary |
|---|
| Brand | ATC
United Kingdom · founded 1974 | Klipsch
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Built-in amplifier | Yes | — |
|---|
| Tweeter | 0.98" | 4" Compression Horn |
|---|
| Midrange | 2.95" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 9.21" | 15" Paper |
|---|
| Frequency response | 70-20k Hz | 34-20k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 85 dB | 103 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 100 to 1500 Watts watts | 100-400 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 48.90kg / 107.6lbs | 65.70kg / 144.5lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 28-1/4" x 11-15/16" x 18-7/8"
717.0 x 304.0 x 480.0mm | 51-15/16" x 31-1/2" x 24"
1320.0 x 800.0 x 610.0mm |
|---|
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that SCM50ASL is a 3-way design whereas the Klipschorn 80th is a 2-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
ATC SCM50ASLKlipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
ATC SCM50ASL |
Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
0.98-inch
|
4-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 2.95-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 9.21-inch
|
1 x 15-inch
|
SCM50ASL features a 0.98" Tweeter, a 2.95" Midrange and 1 x 9.21" Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 380Hz & 3.5kHz. On the other hand, the Klipschorn 80th features a 4" K-692 with K-5-K aluminium horn Compression Horn Tweeter and 1 x 15" Paper Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 350Hz.
Frequency Response
SCM50ASL has a frequency range of 70-20k Hz whereas Klipschorn 80th has a frequency range of 34-20k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 34Hz, the Klipschorn 80th can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the SCM50ASL's min frequency of 70Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
SCM50ASL and Klipschorn 80th have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. SCM50ASL sensitivity is rated at 85 dB and the Klipschorn 80th's is at 103 dB. This 18 dB difference makes the Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary a more sensitive speaker compared to ATC SCM50ASL, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
SCM50ASL can handle a max power of 1500 watts RMS, whereas Klipschorn 80th has a max power handling value of 400 watts RMS, 1100 watts less than the SCM50ASL.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Klipschorn 80th features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. SCM50ASL has a XLR which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare ATC SCM50ASL's and Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary's external dimensions. ATC SCM50ASL has external dimensions of 717.0 x 304.0 x 480.0mm () whereas Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary has external dimensions of 1320.0 x 800.0 x 610.0mm (51-15/16 x 31-1/2 x 24inch).
Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 496mm wider, 603mm taller and 130mm deeper than ATC SCM50ASL.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary needs about 234% more floor or shelf area. Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary is 130mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary is 603mm taller.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the ATC SCM50ASL is approximately 1459.2cm2 / 226.2inch2 and base area of the Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary is approximately 4880.0cm2 / 756.4inch2. The SCM50ASL requires 70% less surface area than the Klipschorn 80th which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.